


Writing Lesson

by soldiermom1973



Series: DeviantArt prompts [8]
Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age II
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-14
Updated: 2015-09-14
Packaged: 2018-04-20 17:09:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4795529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soldiermom1973/pseuds/soldiermom1973
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another prompt from <a href="http://chaosfay.deviantart.com/">ChaosFay</a></p>
<p>This one was visual literature.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Writing Lesson

Fenris growled and threw his quill across the room in frustration. Hawke had been patiently teaching him to read and write – the reading thing he was finally catching on to. But this writing?

“Vishante kaffas!” he swore as the ink well followed the quill and smashed into the wall. He looked at the parchment, filled with his attempts at making script that was as flowing and beautiful as Hawke's. They appeared as little more than scribbles, as a child might produce when they're learning to write. Not an adult, damn it. Even though he was learning, he thought his penmenship should look more like Hawke's and less like, well, like a little kid's. Perhaps a well-educated scribe could make sense of what Fenris was trying to write, but he doubted Hawke would be able to read it. At this point, Fenris could barely read his own scrawl himself.

He flopped back in his chair, a deep scowl marring his face as he studied the sheet Hawke had given him to use as a guide. He had made the guide himself – his neat, flowing script made the paper something that should have been hung in a gallery. At least, that's what Fenris thought.

“Fasta vass,” he swore again as he stood to retrieve the quill and eyed the inky mess he'd made. “Hawke won't be happy with that,” he muttered under his breath.

“Neither will Orana but she will be much less likely to say anything,” Hawke grinned as he entered the study. He paused at the desk, studying the parchment Fenris had been practicing on. “I take it the writing isn't going well?”

“No, the writing isn't going well,” Fenris spat. “Look at this!” He grabbed Hawke's guide and all but shoved it in his face. “Look at how you make the letters connect! The loops around the taller letters, the fancy way you curve that thing under the 'y'.”

Hawke pulled his head back from the page a bit, trying to keep things in focus. “Yes, Fenris, I know. I made it, remember?”

“Well, look at this!” Fenris grabbed his parchment and shoved that into Hawke's face. “I can't make the letters connect like you do. I can't make those loops. And the 'y'? Forget it.”

The warrior crumbled the parchment and threw it against the wall, slumping back into the chair, an angry scowl plastered to his face as he stared into the fireplace. Hawke sighed as he retrieved the paper. He smoothed it out and studied it for a few moments.

“Fenris, this isn't bad at all,” he said soothingly. He laid the still-wrinkled sheet on the desk and knelt next to the elf. “Look, your 'a's look like they're supposed to. And your 'c's have a nice curve to them. So do your 'o's.”

“Those are supposed to be 'q's,” Fenris growled.

“Oh, so they are,” Hawke said sheepishly. He stood and retrieved another quill and ink well from one of the desk drawers and a fresh piece of parchment from another. “You have to remember, love, that you've only been trying this for what? A day or so?”

Fenris just shifted in his chair and grumbled. “I've been writing since I was small,” Hawke smiled as he placed the everything but the quill on the desk. “You can't expect to be as good as I am when you've barely just begun. How long had you practiced with that huge-ass maul of yours before it felt like another arm?”

Fenris mumbled something and refused to look at Hawke.

“I'm sorry? What was that?” Hawke put a finger to his ear, feigning deafness.

“I said, 'Over a decade,'” Fenris said a little louder.

“And why should writing be any easier?”

“Because it's a bloody quill! Not a weapon that weighs almost as much as I do!”

“So the weight should make a difference, hm?” Hawke held the quill out and waited for Fenris to take it.

The elf just glared at him. He knew Hawke was right but for now, he just wanted to sit and sulk. And Hawke was having none of it, either.

“Come on, Broody,” he chided, using Varric's nickname for him. “Let me help you.”

Fenris continued to glare at Hawke but did as he was told. He took the quill, gently dipped it in the ink, and pressed the tip to the paper. Hawke moved behind Fenris, reaching over his arm and covered his hand with his own, guiding his movements as Fenris began to copy the letters from Hawke's guide. With Hawke's help, Fenris's hand gracefully moved along the page, creating loops and swirls, connecting the letters just as Hawke had on his guide.

After a few minutes, Hawke moved his hand, letting Fenris write on his own. The elf struggled a little bit, but not nearly as much as he had before he threw the ink well against the wall. The letters he was making weren't nearly as flowing and elegant as Hawke's but they were looking a lot more legible. He finished the last line and leaned back in his chair, waiting for Hawke to inspect his work.

Hawke reached over Fenris's arm and picked the paper up, studying it intently. Rapid improvement – the 'q' definitely looked like a 'q'. And his name was actually legible this time. “Mm, much better,” he murmured, turning his face into the elf's neck. “See? All it takes is a little practice.”

Fenris sighed, knowing Hawke was right. He wanted to be able to write as beautifully as Hawke did, to be able to impress him and show that he was a capable student, able to learn and grow. He was afraid that if he didn't learn quickly enough, maybe Hawke would become frustrated with him. Or angry. Or some other dark emotion that would make Hawke leave and never come back.

“Fenris?” Hawke whispered as he trailed kisses down his lover's neck.

“Hm?”

“How about we move this study session to the bedroom. You can practice some more using your fingers on my back, if you like.”

For the first time since the lesson had started, Fenris smiled. “As you wish, amatus. Lead the way.”


End file.
